GRANTS - Yes, GRANTS - To Help You Export

The Ohio International Market Access Grant for Exporters (IMAGE) is a program funded by the State of Ohio and the United States Small Business Administration as part of the National Export Initiative to double U.S. exports by 2015.

IMAGE is designed to increase exports and create jobs by helping small companies to promote their products and services in new international markets.

An eligible company must be in business for at least one year, operate a licensed business in Ohio, be in good standing with all State of Ohio agencies, and assert that it is a small business as defined by the United States Small Business Administration.

IMAGE funds will reimburse companies a maximum of $6,000 (50 percent on qualifying expenditures up to $12,000) for activities associated with new international marketing initiatives. Companies located in the Ohio Appalachian region may qualify for an additional 50 percent reimbursement up to $2,000 to use toward the eligible export-related activities listed below.

Companies electing to participate in a State of Ohio or other approved trade mission will be eligible to apply for a 50 percent reimbursement up to $3,000; OR up to $2,000 for any U.S. Department of Commerce-led trade mission. 

Eligible Export-Related Activities:

• International trade show participation (excluding airfare, meals, and lodging)—e.g., Booth space rental and construction, interpreter fees, freight costs to ship booth, trade show participation fees
• Subscription to services provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce and other approved providers—e.g., International Partner Search, Gold Key Service, Single Company Promotion, International Company Profiles, etc.
• Select international marketing and technical translation services—e.g., Website and marketing material translation services, technical manual translations, label translation services
• Exporter specialized education programs—e.g., Global Target
• International trade mission participation (up to $3,000)—e.g., Participant fees, market research and appointment setting fees, economy class airfare, lodging
• Other export-related initiatives reviewed and approved by the Ohio Department of Development’s Office of Export Assistance

For more information, please email: IMAGE@development.ohio.gov or call (614) 466-5017

Shale conference tomorrow, April 11

Area businesses are invited to attend the “Ohio Shale Energy 2012: Discovering Supply Chain Opportunities” conference, at the Pritchard Laughlin Civic Center in Cambridge, Ohio, April 11, 2012.

This showcase regional event will bring together industry experts and businesses interested in becoming suppliers to the shale energy industry in Ohio. Highlights of the conference include:

• Invaluable, firsthand advice from more than 20 industry experts on how to become a supplier, including Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Chesapeake Energy, Ariel Corporation, The Shaw Group, River Consulting, Timken, Ken Miller Supply, Inc., Pioneer Group, and many more
• Industry information about market potential in Ohio and where/how money will be spent
• Networking sessions to engage business connections and opportunities
• Entry into the Ohio Shale Supply Chain Database to establish a local network of shale businesses and suppliers

Keynote speaker Michael Levett, senior director and vice board chair for CDC Development Solutions (CDS), will focus on what it takes to grow a successful industry in Ohio that benefits the state. Formerly president and chief executive officer of CDS, Levett led his organization’s expansion into more than 80 countries on five continents and created the company's practice area in supply chain quality management and local content development. Levett has more than 30 years experience working in and with the private sector worldwide, with small- and medium-size enterprise development in emerging and frontier markets, and with local and national governments.

Ohio Shale Energy 2012 is presented by Ohio University, Cambridge Area Chamber of Commerce, Edison Welding Institute, Ohio Energy Resource Alliance, Ohio Manufacturers’ Association, Ohio Oil &Gas Energy Education Program, Ohio Shale Coalition, TechGROWTH Ohio, WIRE-Net and Zanesville-Muskingum Port Authority.

For additional information and to pre-register for the conference, please visit www.ohioshaleenergy.com.

WHAT: “Ohio Shale Energy 2012: Discovering Supply Chain Opportunities” Conference

WHERE: Pritchard Laughlin Civic Center, 7033 Glenn Highway, Cambridge, OH 43725, 740-439-7009

WHEN: April 11, 2012 registration opens at 8:00 a.m.

Note: Breakfast and lunch meals will be served.

MEDIA: Michael Levett will be available after his morning keynote address for media questions.

RSVP: Space is limited. Please pre-register for this event at www.ohioshaleenergy.com.

Contact: For information about the conference, call 740-537-0110 or email info@ohioshaleenergy.com.

The Campaign

We are growing the Muskingum Growth Partnership because economic development is as important now as it has ever been, and we invite you to join us.

Please join our other investors if you share an interest in creating a growing economy and thriving marketplace for your firm and for the people of the Muskingum County. 

MGP investors know their participation is important to our collective future.  They know the role holds little direct reward or recognition for them personally and that the return on their company’s investment is generally long term.  However, the return is real and it is tangible, and it is called a growing economy.

Here is an invitation to join MGP - Letter of Invitation to Join Muskingum Growth Partnership - and here is more information about what MGP is and does:  MGP Website.  The site will tell you who the investors in MGP are and will describe some current activities and past accomplishments.

We hope you will strongly consider joining us.  It is a worthwhile investment that will provide returns to both your organization and the community for years to come.

To learn more about becoming an MGP investor contact Dana Matz at 455-8282 or dmatz@zmchamber.com.

Lt. Governor Will Address Healthcare Reform

Healthcare reform has been in the news lately, as the US Supreme Court considers the constitutionality of the law that made many changes to healthcare in the nation.

Since employers will be drastically affected if the law is upheld, we invited Lt. Governor Mary Taylor to talk to chamber members about her concerns with the mandates in the healthcare reform law.  Taylor is also the director of the Ohio Department of Insurance and she has made healthcare reform a major policy focus.

The meeting with Lt. Governor Taylor will be held on Monday, May 7, at 11 am at the Muskingum County Welcome Center.  She plans to speak for about 15 minutes and open it up to discussion and questions.  There is no charge to attend for chamber members, but we do require reservations to 455-8282 or jriddle@zmchamber.com.

All employers are encouraged to make themselves familiar with the contents of the law.  In the event the Supreme Court upholds it (we should know in June), there will be many mandates and deadlines businesses must meet.  Here's a couple of good summaries: 

http://blogs.msbcollege.edu/2012/02/28/affordable-care-act-summary/
http://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/healthpolicy/ppaca11.pdf
http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/healthreform/


CORRECTION:  This post originally said May 11.  The meeting is on May 7.

The Dollars and Cents of Chamber Membership

Is being a Chamber member the "right thing to do?" Obviously we think so. But you need better reason than that to invest your hard earned money in an annual membership.

So we did the math and put some estimates to the value of our services (and we were conservative) and weighed that against the average cost of membership. The results:

Average Annual Membership Value: $680
Average Annual Membership Dues: $247
Annual Member Dues Start At: $225 for a small business

That means the average Chamber member can more than double their money. That's a pretty good return on investment.

You can view the details here: http://www.zmchamber.com/PDFs/Membership%20ROI.pdf

Doing Business With the Oil & Gas Industry

How do you get into doing business with the shale oil and gas industry? How do you access that supply chain? What are the ins and outs, the dos and don'ts for companies looking to enter that market?

Well, looking ahead to May, we are going to hold a half-day seminar that should answer those questions. It will be held from 8 am to 12 noon on the 16th of May at Eaglesticks. Admission will be $95 per person and $150 for non-members.

The seminar is presented in conjunction with the Ohio Oil & Gas Association and Shaledirectories.com, a Pennsylvania based firm with all kinds of experience in the Marcellus shale gas industry in PA. Those two organizations are providing us with a top notch line-up of speakers, which we will announce very soon.

You can reserve your spot now if you like by contacting jriddle@zmchamber.com. Again, more details are on the way.

Visit the Shale Information Clearinghouse

The "Muskingum County Shale Oil & Gas Information Clearinghouse" is a webpage we created to help you find various kinds of information about shale exploration and production. It has useful links to websites and documents on topics ranging from economic development to landowner resources to geological information. We also have a Shale Business Directory to help companies find the services and suppliers they need in the oil and gas industry. Both can be accessed from the home page of zmchamber.com.

Remember, mark your calendar for April 16 at 1 pm to hear presentations about public policy aspects of shale drilling. Scroll down to our April 2 post for the details.